Fluid conducting electrically insulated system



APll 3, 1951 H. L. CLARK ETAL 2,547,440

FLUID CONDUCTING ELECTRICALLY INSULATED SYSTEM Filed may 15, 194e LA" ilI NTORS NAi/@M Cla/a4( /V/mAa/ Patented Apr. 3, 1951 FLUID CONDUCTINGELECTRICALLY INSULATED SYSTEM Harold L. Clark and Richard U. Clark,Belmont, Mass.

Application May 15, 1948, Serial N0. 27,298

2 Claims. 1

The present invention has for its purpose the provision of a means forvery greatly increasing the electrical resistance of uid in a system,and that of the system, to ground, without impeding the ilow of said uidthrough the said system.

The said system may be a residential Water supply, a water or steamheating system, or similar installation, as used not only domestically,but also in shop, factory, office, laboratory, or the like.

A primary accomplishment of this invention is the safeguarding of lifeand limb, by eliminating the danger of electrocution that results fromaccidental contact with the live side of a grounded system whilebathing, shaving, working, etc.

Other advantages of electrically insulating a water operated system, oruid conducting system, would be the possibility of applying to thesystem such separate electrical excitation as may be desired for variouspurposes such as thawing out frozen pipes, controlling electrolysis,providing an ungrounded radio aerial connection and so forth.

A simple embodiment of the device with which We accomplish theelectrical insulation of a fluid conducting system is shown in theaccompanying drawing.

Figure 1 shows a partially cut-away View of anC enclosed Waterseparating and insulating device.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional View of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan View of a non-conducting pipe union.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross-section of Figure 3.

The structure of gure one is composed entirely of non-conductingmaterial; rubber, plastic, glass, ceramic or the like except for acentral shaft and two bearings. At l in Figure 1 is shown a suitablecase with inlet pipe 2 and outlet pipe 3 and having a bearing located at4 and a turbine like rotor 5 revolving within the case in a properlyproportioned chamber 6. Rotor end plates 9 and wide blade ends are shownat I0.

In Figure 2 the rotor 5 with vanes l and shaft 8 is shown with one sideplate removed and arrows indicating the direction of iluid flow thatcauses the rotor to revolve as it passes.

In Figure 4 the threaded pipe union of nonconducting material is shownto have a mechanical pipe stop at l I in the form of a central spacingflange. The device in Figures 3 and 4 is to be used in conjunction withthat in Figures 1 and 2.

The device shown in Figures 1 and 2 would be inserted in series with allgrounded fluid conducting pipes, carrying electrically conductingiluids, at the nearest convenient points to ground. Conducting fluidpassing from any grounded position through the system must then passthrough the device of Figures 1 and 2 and in passing revolve the rotor.In so doing the fluid would be divided into segments, mutually connectedby very thin lms only, resulting in very high electrical resistance asbetween inlet and outlet. Connected in any system at points near groundthis device would greatly increase the electrical resistance of the saidsupply system in respect to ground.

Having described our invention, We claim:

l. A system for handling conductive uids in insulated relation to aground potential, comprising fluid conducting enclosures, anon-conducting encased rotary dispensing pump with input and outputconnections connected there-to, a high speed segmented impeller in saidpump, minute clearances between said impeller and said casing, end andperiphery baies on said impeller to further reduce iluid and electricalleakage between the input and output of said pump, said impeller beingoperable upon the introduction of uid flow in said system and todispense segmented fluid portions at high speed.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein an associated non-electricallyconductive fluid dispensing system is non-conductively coupled there-toand means to provide said non-conductive coupling comprising connectingmembers oi' insulating material.

HAROLD L. CLARK. RICHARD U. CLARK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the

